By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole, Mitu Malhotra, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Dream a Dress, Dream a Poem: Dressmaker and Poet, Myra Viola Wilds by Nancy Johnson James,
Category: General
Author Interview: Sue Ganz-Schmitt & Maureen Charles on Infusing Emotion into Nonfiction Books for Kids
Cynsations welcomes two outstanding children’s book authors, Sue Ganz-Schmitt and Maureen Charles, whose newest books are nonfiction biographies. Sue’s nonfiction picture book, Skybound!: Starring Mary Myers as Carlotta, Daredevil Aeronaut and Scientist, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno (Calkin Creek, 2024) is about a courageous and determined female aeronaut/scientist/inventor who designed and built gas balloons,
In Memory: Author Marta Crisp, Author- Illustrator Jules Feiffer, Author Carole Gerber & Author John Marsden
Spotlight image: Author Marta Crisp
Author Marta Crisp
Marta M Crisp (Marty), a well-known children’s author, died from complications of the flu on Dec. 29, 2024, according to the Hampton Cove Funeral Home. Marty worked for many years as a journalist at the Lancaster Sunday News in Lancaster,
Author Interview: Donna Janell Bowman on Collaborating with Olympian Billy Mills
Spotlight image: Illustrator S.D. Nelson and co-authors Donna Janell Bowman and Billy Mills at a 2024 event.
I’m thrilled to welcome fellow Austin author and Vermont College alumnx Donna Janell Bowman to discuss collaborating with Olympian Billy Mills on Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills,
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Authors Interview: Helen Kampion & Reneé Critcher Lyons on their Publishing Journey
Spotlight image: Co-Authors Reneé Critcher Lyons and Helen Kampion at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center bookstore.
Today I’m pleased to welcome two fellow Vermont College alumni, Helen Kampion and Reneé Critcher Lyons to Cynsations to discuss their recent picture book biography, Rollin’ On Down The Line: Lady Bird Johnson’s 1964 Whistle-Stop Tour for Civil Rights,
Cover Reveal & Author Interview: Maria Marianayagam On Her Upcoming Picture Book & Her Writing Life
Maria Marianayagam and I connected on social media over our common love for children’s books and South Asian children’s literature a few years ago. I’ve been a fan of her writing for a while now. Although we live miles apart from each other, she is fun to interact with.
Throwback Thursday: Carole Boston Weatherford Discusses the Need to Write “Untold” Stories with Kekla Magoon
Congratulations to Carole Boston Weatherford on winning the 2025 Children’s Literature Legacy Award! The award honors an author or illustrator whose books have made a significant and lasting contribution to literature for children and is administered annually by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association.
Guest Post: Deb Gonzales: Beyond Pins & Boards: Building a Legacy on Pinterest
Pinterest isn’t just another social media platform—it’s a search engine for inspiration and ideas. Think of it as Google with pictures. Pinterest users aren’t mindlessly scrolling; they’re actively searching and saving, looking for solutions and ideas to enrich their lives. Unlike traditional social media, where posts fade fast, Pinterest content is evergreen,
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Author Interview: Padma Venkatraman on Poetry, Publishing & Diverse Verse
One chilly morning at the New England SCBWI conference Padma Venkatraman met me with warmth and included me in her conversation because I was one of the few people of color in that room. Many years later, in 2024, I attended a Highlights Foundation retreat on Writing through Trauma and Grief to Empower Readers where she was guest faculty—this time we chatted over cups of tea and shared our love of poetry.
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Native Voices: Author-Illustrator Cameron Mukwa on Learning & Growing as an Artist
By AJ Eversole
I’m excited to welcome Cameron Mukwa to Cynsations! I’ve always thought ribbon skirts would make a perfect graphic novel topic and was thrilled when this one hit my radar. The Ribbon Skirt (Scholastic, 2024) is about a Two Spirit kid who wants to create a ribbon skirt of their own for an upcoming powwow.